You may remember recently we shared the devastating news that Merlin, one of ten English Bulldogs who were seized by a Local Authority on welfare grounds, had to be put to sleep due to severe conformation issues. He was just 9 months old.

We can't believe we are writing this again. Last week, Jay, another one of the Bulldog litter went in for X-rays. Whilst he was under the vet found he had a host of very serious problems including no hip joint on the one side, the hip out of the socket on the other side, elbow dysplasia which had already led to arthritic changes, and awful issues with his spine. The vet explained this would cause him to suffer from ongoing pain that would be very difficult to manage. Once again we had to make the heart-breaking decision not to wake him up.

Another young life lost to torture breeding. Another foster home with a broken heart. None of us at Hope Rescue went into animal welfare to euthanise puppies. But here we are, and it keeps happening again and again thanks to those who seek to put profit over welfare, breeding for #wealthnothealth.

We need improved breeding laws. We need to introduce fitness to breed assessments. We need everyone who breeds to be licensed and traceable no matter how many litters they breed. We need to regulate canine fertility clinics. But most of all we need to stop buying these dogs that are so badly deformed they cannot live a normal life, if any life at all.

Be part of the change, not the problem.

Rest easy Jay, and please join us in sending our heartfelt condolences to his wonderful foster family